Did you know that all foods made from meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts, and seeds are considered part of the protein foods group? Choosing a variety of protein foods help to improve nutrient intake and have health benefits.
How much protein is needed daily?
The amount of protein you need to eat depends on age, sex, and level of physical activity. According to many professionals, most Americans eat enough food from this group, but need to make leaner and more varied selections of these foods. Women generally need 5 ounces of protein per day while men need 5.5 to 6 ounces per day.
What counts as one serving of protein?
In general, 1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish, ¼ cup cooked beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or ½ ounce of nuts or seeds can be considered as 1 ounce-equivalent from the Protein Foods Group.
Here are a few tips for choosing the right types of protein from Choosemyplate.gov!
Go lean with protein:
- The leanest beef cuts include round steaks and roasts (eye of round, top round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top sirloin, and chuck shoulder and arm roasts.
- The leanest pork choices include pork loin, tenderloin, center loin, and ham.
- Choose lean ground beef. To be considered “lean,” the product has to be at least 92% lean/8% fat.
- Buy skinless chicken parts, or take off the skin before cooking.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choices.
- Choose lean turkey, roast beef, ham, or low-fat luncheon meats for sandwiches instead of luncheon/deli meats with more fat, such as regular bologna or salami.
If you need help choosing a diet plan or figuring out what will work for you, give Mediplan Diet a call today to schedule an appointment!